HUXLEY'S BRAVE NEW WORLD

Please explain how listening/watching the author himself changed your perspective on the work and the essay you turned in.

      I feel like now that I have heard from Huxley the novel does not seem to extreme. What I mean by this is that he is “Normal!” He thinks the same way many people think about our world. It is Overpopulated, Over-organized, advanced with technology, full of propaganda, and drugs. At first I though Huxley was exaggerating, in it is arguable, but in a way we do not see it as an exaggeration because we are a part of it, it is all we know. If we take a step back to think about what Huxley has suggested about our world and where it is heading there is an astonishing amount of truth in it.

      The 1997 AP Essay I wrote on BNW was focused on how a character’s actions alone were evil or immoral and why the character drew sympathy from the reader. I would say that Huxley did an excellent job because by putting certain attributes of our world today into the world state we (the readers) are able to identify with John the savage. I felt like John the savage was a representation of us right now and the world state “people” were a representation of what we are heading to as a society.


Notes from In-Class


Overpopulation

• reproduction is popular = BNW no parents

Over- organization w/ tech. 

• In our world tech. is advancing and getting better & better as time goes by
• In Huxley's this over-organization is the making of the clones/ppl
• Huxley believes TV is a distraction

SOMA

• Same effect as some drugs in our world today

Propaganda

• brain washing
• breaking down a person/society & training them to believe new ideas = the BNW way...flowers/ books ....electrified/shocking
• Russia- idea for totalitarian world state

• Passion for power- common in people
• Power is dangerous 
• freedom is necessary for a productive society

BNW 1997 AP Essay

Pre-Write:


John the savage
• An outcast in the world state & in the reservation
• Non-conformist
• Educated (reads old lit.)
• Has a sense of morality (therefore he is IMMORAL in the eyes of the World State)
• Loyal to his mother & his people
• Confused and frustrated w/ World State
• Finds the way out by killing himself.

Examples from text
• Refuses sex from Lenina and calls her a whore
• He goes crazy when his mother is dying and wants to save her
• Refuses soma- he would rather deal with his emotions naturally
• Reads & uses old literature (Shakespeare)

Literary Techniques:
• Allusion to the tempest
o Theme is difficulty distinguishing between men & monsters
• Symbolism
o John can easily symbolize the reader and how they would react
• Doubleness of character
• Indirect Characterization/Direct Characterization


What makes us react sympathetically?!
• The reader feels pity for him b/c he is not fully accepted anywhere
• The reader can relate to him b/c he is the most “human” of them all
• He is not an actual character, but is good enough to fool the reader throughout the novel
• The reader agrees with John’s morals & take on life

        John the savage from Huxley’s “Brave New World” is considered to be immoral by the residents of the World State. The reader is given the impression of this through direct and indirect characterization, and is proven because John is not fully accepted in the reservation nor in the world state. This confirmation is the main factor why the reader sympathizes with the savage. 

As the reader is presented to John we know he is different, because he is a native from the reservation and because of indirect characterization. “But they wouldn’t let me. They disliked me for my complexion. It’s always been like that. Always.” Tears stood in the young man’s eyes; he was ashamed and turned away. Other than being peculiar to Bernard and Lenina the reader realizes that the savage is loyal to his people and believes strongly in their rituals. The fact that he has a sense of morality and is loyal allows the reader to feel some compassion for him. 

The biggest difference between the savage and the world state residents is that John is abstinent. The Brave new world is stabilized by “everyone belongs to everyone”, and this of course means belonging to everyone in a sexual and lustful way. Unlike many of the residents, John refuses to take part in sexual intercourse without being married first, and calls Lenina a “whore…damned whore!” This is yet another reason why the reader can easily relate to the savage. In our world today, abstinence is still considered something sacred. 

Everything the world state presses on the savage, he pushes away. He is kind and allows Bernard to use him as a stool to get to the top, but gets quickly sick of it and revolts. Though he is not a real character, there are many similarities between the reader and the savage. In some ways he symbolizes us in our world today. The allusion to Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” is the world state monsters versus the reservation men or visa versa. It can also be symbolized to represent the people of today and how many are so evil that they cannot be distinguished between men or monsters. The world state is an exaggerated version of our world today. The savages from the reservation only form some of our population. For that reason is that the reader rallies John on throughout the novel, because they see themselves in him. They do not want to finish their journey with their feet dangling “South-south-west, south, south-east, east…”

Resource of the day

Thank You for our discussion today and all the input and ideas you girls gave me!!
 Izzy, Nikki, and Maria!

Today we discussed my masterpiece, and where I wanted it to go. I knew I would be talking about compassion, but I wanted to do it in a way that not many do so. My masterpiece is going to be based on  what compassion is, how people practice it, but most IMPORTANTLY to whom we show compassion to. ARE WE BIASED TO WHO WE SHOW COMPASSION TOWARDS? ARE WE WORTHY OF CHOOSING WHO DESERVES COMPASSION? In my last project I gave one view of compassion and I focused on the basics of compassion. In this project I want to open people's eyes. I want to go from one extreme to the next...

NEW INTEREST

Recently I have picked up a new interest...Che Guevara! As I am learning about him and his cause I understand that for some he is a murderer, and an enemy of the U.S, but I also understand why others admire him and his deeds. He fought for his cause, he died for his cause, and the cause died with him. I am educating myself on Che because I want to know who he really was. I have picked out some books  and plan on reading them to try to get the best understanding and least biased perspective on who Che really was.

BNW 1997 AP Essay DRAFT

Essay draft (on paper or blog) per yesterday's prompt (see below).  Additional criterion: please use three brief quotes from the text and 3-5 literary terms/techniques to illustrate/support your thesis/main points.  Due Monday, March 17.

PROMPT

1979 Choose a complex and important character in a novel or a play of

recognized literary merit who might, on the basis of the character’s actions alone,

be considered evil or immoral. In a well-organized essay, explain both how and

why the full presentation of the character in the work makes us react more

sympathetically than we otherwise might. Avoid plot summary.

Pre-Write:

John the savage

• ·      An outcast in the world state & in the reservation
•         Non-conformist
•     Educated (reads old lit.)
•          Has a sense of morality (therefore he is IMMORAL in the eyes of the World State)
• ·      Loyal to his mother & his people
• ·      Confused and frustrated w/ World State
• ·      Finds the way out by killing himself.

Examples from text

• ·      Refuses sex from Lenina and calls her a whore
• ·      He goes crazy when his mother is dying and wants to save her
• ·      Refuses soma- he would rather deal with his emotions naturally
• ·      Reads & uses old literature (Shakespeare)

Literary Techniques:

• ·      Allusion to the tempest

o   Theme is difficulty distinguishing between men & monsters

• ·      Symbolism

o   John can easily symbolize the reader and how they would react

• ·      Doubleness of character
• ·      Indirect Characterization/Direct Characterization

What makes us react sympathetically?!

• ·      The reader feels pity for him b/c he is not fully accepted anywhere
• ·      The reader can relate to him b/c he is the most “human” of them all
• ·      He is not an actual character, but is good enough to fool the reader throughout the novel
• ·      The reader agrees with John’s morals & take on life

ESSAY: (about 1hr timing)

            John the savage from Huxley’s “Brave New World” is considered to be immoral by the residents of the World State. The reader is given the impression of this through direct and indirect characterization, and is proven by the fact that John is neither fully accepted in the reservation nor world state. This confirmation is the main factor why the reader sympathizes with the savage.

            As the reader is presented to John we know he is different, because he is a native from the reservation and because of indirect characterization. “But they wouldn’t let me. They disliked me for my complexion. It’s always been like that. Always.” Tears stood in the young man’s eyes; he was ashamed and turned away. Other than being peculiar to Bernard and Lenina the reader realizes that the savage is loyal to his people and believes strongly in their rituals. The fact that he has a sense of morality and is loyal allows the reader to feel some compassion for him.

            The biggest difference between the savage and the world state residents is that John is abstinent. The Brave new world is stabilized by “everyone belongs to everyone”, and this of course means belonging to everyone in a sexual and lustful way. Unlike many of the residents, John refuses to take part in sexual intercourse without having got married first, and calls Lenina a “whore…damned whore!” This is yet another reason why the reader can easily relate to the savage. In our world today, abstinence is still considered something sacred.

            Everything the world state presses on the savage, he pushes away. He is kind and allows Bernard to use him as a stool to get to the top, but gets quickly sick of it and revolts. Though he is not a real character, there are many similarities between the reader and the savage. In some ways he symbolizes us in our world today. The allusion to Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” is the world state monsters versus the reservation men or visa versa. It can also be symbolized to represent the people of today and how many are so evil that they cannot be distinguished between men or monsters. The world state is an exaggerated version of our world today. The savages from the reservation only form some of our population. For that reason is that the reader rallies John on throughout the novel, because they seem themselves in him. They do not want to finish their journey with their feet dangling “South-south-west, south, south-east, east…”

INSPIRING THE MINI US- Mckenzie Junior High Presentation

Today Tina, Java, Erik, and I went to Mckenzie Junior High to speak to the 8th graders! We spoke for about 30-45 minutes. Seems like a long time, but we actually wanted more time! We also spoke to an intervention class and were able to motivate the students from that class as well. We spoke about the  transition between Junior high and high school, how to get involved, and how to stay motivated. Going back was a surreal experience. I felt so lost...yeah in a school that only has about 350 students. WHAT?! Flashbacks were taking over my mind! The only words that came out were "Oh my gosh, remember that?, wow! it looks so different!, They are so tiny?" Speaking to our fellow community's children/teenagers was a great experience. I can not express how near and dear to my heart the experience was. As I glanced around the room, the same room I once had class in, and the desk the students sat at, the same one I once sat at while listening to seniors give an AVID presentation I thought these students are no different than who I was four years ago. They too yearn for success. They too, will be successful! :)

*The ride to Guad (Mckenzie Here we come!)

Thanks Mr. Blanco for the ride :)

*Preaching ;)

* Getting a giggle from past experiences :)

*We got to cut in front of the line...Mckenzie alumni privilege :) 

School lunch...mmm

* One of the classes we presented to! :) 

So adorable!

*Mr. Blanco chilling after his introduction :)

*Done with our job...Now Mr.Reynoso giving some last minute advice :)

Preach it! 

Resource of the day!

After becoming a virtual cow, will you feel more empathy (and change what you eat)?

READ ARTICLE HERE: http://www.splendidtable.org/story/after-becoming-a-virtual-cow-will-you-feel-more-empathy-and-change-what-you-eat